I think of this perfume like a 19th century Parisian Cafe, akin to Henri de Toulouse-Latrec and Pierre August Renoir… Renoir’s “The Cafe”, 1875

1 review for Cafe Diem

5 out of 5

CASSIANOFeb 11th 2015

CAFE DIEM, BY PK PERFUMES (by Cassiano Silva – Perfumart)
The name plays with the famous phrase from Latin “Carpe Diem”, meaning “Seize the day”. From this point, you can see that creativity is something that is always present in the creations of the perfumer Paul Kiler.
But does the name suits the product? Well, in my analysis, after 3 consecutive tests, I would say Yes and I will explain my point of view in this review.
To start, there is a huge expectation on perfumes that have notes of coffee, since the user always expects that the nuance of coffee be dominant, as if someone had poured a cup of hot coffee on the skin. It doesn’t work that way! Sometimes, such note works as a supporting character in the story, but it is the one who gets the Oscar. The same happens with fragrances that have notes of vanilla, chocolate, etc.
Cafe Diem has, in its official composition, notes of Brazilian coffee beans, Sage, wormwood, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg (mace), Hinoki wood (which is a Japanese cypress) and whiskey, in the output; Mimosa absolute, rose, jasmine and Olibanum (frankincense), in the heart; Sandalwood, Indonesian and Bourbon vetiver, vanilla, tonka bean, amber, woods, cedar, musks and incense, in the base.
With all these notes, there is only one trip to be made: close your eyes and let yourself go for a tobacco shop, rich in aromas, smoke and men who sit for a cup of coffee, accompanied by a fine liqueur or other alcoholic beverage, while tasting their cigars and pipes.
And for the men of this era, that’s how they seized their days: reuniting with friends, smoking, drinking, talking about business and establishing their places within the social class.
As I said before, the coffee in here is not the main star. On my skin, the fragrance is very intense, but linear. Basically, there is a mixture of coffee with liquor, which blends to smoky and woody nuances, with a light touch of spices. I could sum up the result as the following: coffee + Absinthe + clove, evolving into a smell of nutmeg and a lot of whiskey, ending with nuances of incense and Woods.
Cafe Diem is a delight that has a lot of niche perfumery characteristics, besides being extremely engaging and strong. Although it is much more masculine, can be easily worn by women, which is not always possible in the reverse situation.
For me, a lover of a good cup of coffee, enjoyed with a nice liquor and harmonized with a chocolate truffle, this perfume has an unmatched quality. So, you need to excuse me, because I need to close my eyes and let me take, once again, to a tobacco shop full of distinct Lords.